7MM wildcats?

[cornstalker]

Is anyone aware of any 7mm wildcat cartridge that will push a 160 to 3200 fps with a 2.50" case? (other than the 7mm Dakota)

I would like to keep the barrel at 26" max.

 

[Ernie]

Is anyone aware of any 7mm wildcat cartridge that will push a 160 to 3200 fps with a 2.50" case? (other than the 7mm Dakota)

I would like to keep the barrel at 26" max.

You could take the 338 Lapua case and shorten it

 

[Broz]

Is anyone aware of any 7mm wildcat cartridge that will push a 160 to 3200 fps with a 2.50" case? (other than the 7mm Dakota)

I would like to keep the barrel at 26" max.

Not a 2.500 case, but 2.620. I am playing with a 7mm-300 win. I have seen over 3200 with 180 Bergers. But they were showing a bit of crater on the primer. I backed them down and they were happier around 3100 and change. So I would think a 165 could get real close to 3200 in it. I do have a 28" barrel though.

Jeff

 

[cornstalker]

Not a 2.500 case, but 2.620. I am playing with a 7mm-300 win. I have seen over 3200 with 180 Bergers. But they were showing a bit of crater on the primer. I backed them down and they were happier around 3100 and change. So I would think a 165 could get real close to 3200 in it. I do have a 28" barrel though.

Jeff

That sure sounds like a lot less brain damage than cutting down and forming cases. I like the idea of the Lapua case, but I wonder how well it would feed in my action.

 

[Broz]

That sure sounds like a lot less brain damage than cutting down and forming cases.

I have only been working with this rifle a few weeks. I need to get a different bushing for my 300 dies and more bullets. I also had a scope go bad and have to start over with load development. All I can say for now is, I like it so far. The velocities are much higher than I anticipated and I am allowing about 50 FPS that my chrony is usually high. Looks like at this point I will be over 3100 with 180 from a 9 twist 28" Hart barrel using WW brass. That prediction is from my ups on exbal at 1000 yards and the predicted exbal velocity, from the 1000 yard testing I did with it.

And Yes, necking the brass is easy, especially with redding bushing dies for a 300 win.

Jeff

 

[Ernie]

Cool post, but why try to reinvent the wheel when the 7mm Dakota is an easy choice?

 

[MontanaRifleman]

You might consider a 7mm-375 Ruger. It has almost the same capacity as the Dakota and should get you to 3200 fps with a 160 bullet. The brass (375 Ruger) is made by Hornady and is much cheaper than the Dakota brass. You could neck it down with a bushing die and a series of bushings.

-Mark

 

[cornstalker]

Cool post, but why try to reinvent the wheel when the 7mm Dakota is an easy choice?

Mainly the excessively high cost of the brass and dies.

 

[cornstalker]

You might consider a 7mm-375 Ruger. It has almost the same capacity as the Dakota and should get you to 3200 fps with a 160 bullet. The brass (375 Ruger) is made by Hornady and is much cheaper than the Dakota brass. You could neck it down with a bushing die and a series of bushings.

-Mark

That's interesting! Do you know of anyone who has already done it?

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I cant remember reading about anyone who has but it's an idea that's been kicked around in a few other threads and one that I've been considering too.

Having said that, I just called Redding about using bushings and they do not have anything large than a .338 in a bushing die. You would need to have a bushing die custom made as well as a seater, so the price of dies may be a little more than Dakota dies, but at least you have custom dies. Do smiths make custom bushing dies? That would be my route.

So unfortunately, there doesn't look like there is a simple solution to the 375 Ruger wildcat.

 

[AZShooter]

When the 375 Ruger first came out, I called Dave Kiff at Pacific Tool and Gauge. He already had a reamer made up for someone else.

More recently I called Redding to ask if they had a 338/375 Ruger full length sizing and seating die set. They did and it was $160. I didn't ask if they had the 7mm version but I'll bet they do.

For what it is worth, I am getting 3275 with a 150 nos E-tip in a 24" 7 Rem mag. Moly and RL-17 made the difference. I have to wonder what a 160 could do with a 26" barrel and either RL-17 or the soon to hit the market Power Pro 4000 MR and moly. Might do what you want with little cost or effort.

FYI the Power Pro 4000 MR is made by the same company that made RL-17, Nitrochemie. It is going to have similar characteristics with a long burning curve. Graf and Sons has it on back order. According to Alliant's representative Ben Amonette it will be out there soon:

"We hope the first of the Power Pro series, 300MP (magnum pistol) and 4000MR (magnum rifle) will be released this spring. Later in the year we hope to have "Varmint", 2000MR (medium rifle), 3000LR (large rifle) ready to go. More information will be available closer to release time.Thanks for your note."

I will be trying 4000 in the 24" 7 mag and 30" 7 rem mag as soon as it is in my hands. I'll report my findings here.

 

[Ernie]

Mainly the excessively high cost of the brass and dies.

Understood.
Sometimes though when you try to find a cheaper way, it ends up being almost as expensive, and more effort on your part.
I sure don't like the Brass price for the 7 Dak, but it is Norma brass, and it works well, and I don't have to foot a bill or partial bill for a new reamer if my smith doesn't have it.
As time goes on the more I am required to play with wildcats the less I enjoy it-Didn't use to be that way though

 

[270 lefty]

Hard to beat dakota brass I have 7mm dakota necked down to 270 with a blown out shoulder my friend bought the reamer but I wish I had just stayed with the 7mm bullet maybe akley the shoulder, as the heavy .277 bullets are hard to come by. the neck turning was done by 7mm rhb and is an added expense but to akley the 7mm dakota was quite simple no barrel life loss just 48 grns unique no bullet or corn mael make sure not to spill hold straight up worked great. red dot probably would work better less of a charge less chance of a spill. but the akley improvment will add some extra fps

 

[270 lefty]

sorry forgot to mention olny if your going custom dies anyway this might be an other option